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KEMA to optimize Bahrain maintenance electricity network
Electricity and Water Authority selects KEMA to improve reliability electricity supply
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ARNHEM, THE NETHERLANDS (February 20, 2008) – The Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) of
the Kingdom of Bahrain – formerly operating as the Ministry of Water & Electricity (MEW) –
commissioned KEMA to optimize maintenance and related operating processes of its entire electricity
transmission and distribution (T&D) network. During the 18-month project KEMA will assist EWA in
accomplishing its overall goal to become an international leader in operational excellence.
With the signing by the Minister, Sheikh Abdulla Bin Salman Bin Khaled Al Khalifa, EWA’s Sheikh
Nawaf Bin Ebrahim al Kalifa, and KEMA’s CEO, Pier Nabuurs, both parties agreed on an 18-month
program to optimize the maintenance and related operating processes of Bahrain’s entire T&D
network. In addition to some 5,000 distribution stations and 80 high-voltage stations, the network
includes approximately 8,000 km of underground cable and 450 km of high-voltage overhead lines.
Based on a strong sense of responsibility towards the people it serves, EWA is looking for the proper
balance between reliable, yet affordable energy and water supply.
“We are delighted that the EWA has selected KEMA for this important and challenging project,” said
Pier Nabuurs. “The competition was very tough, but our innovative solutions for this type of
assignment and our experience in the area were clearly a deciding factor. This assignment is fully in
line with our investment commitment, namely to support our Middle Eastern clients from our Dubai
office.”
A significant part of the activities includes implementation of KEMA’s CASCADE system, an
equipment health-based asset management IT system. As the only such system designed exclusively
for the electric utility industry, the EWA project is the first application of CASCADE in the Middle East.
CASCADE is already serving over 70 utility customers in North America.
KEMA also will provide a comprehensive inventory and condition assessment of all of EWA’s T&D
equipment, including revision of all asset-related business processes and definition of adequate
maintenance programs. In addition, KEMA will audit and review safety, staffing skills, required training
and address organizational issues. KEMA will focus on the implementation of the asset management
support tool and programs in the revised business processes.
EWA ultimately selected KEMA based on the firm’s highly regarded expertise on transformer
condition assessments that have been conducted over the past few years and on the availability of
the CASCADE software, which is in wide use in the North American utility industry. The combination
of technical assessment, consulting on operating processes, and implementation of this CASCADE
software makes this engagement a unique and highly valuable endeavor for both EWA and KEMA.
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[download] 022008 KEMA Bahrain Project (.pdf 28 kb)
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About KEMA
Founded in 1927, KEMA (www.kema.com ) is a global provider of business and technical consulting, operational support, measurement and inspection, testing and certification for the energy and utility industry. KEMA employs 1,600 professionals in 20 countries. The firm’s North American consulting operations are headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts. KEMA’s global headquarters are in Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Media contacts (www.kema.com/press_releases ):
• North America: Kristen Brewitt ( kristen.brewitt@kema.com )
tel +1 781 418 5714
• Europe: Rolf van Stenus ( rolf.vanstenus@kema.com )
tel +31 26 3 56 2607
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